CONTRACTOR SELECTED FOR NEW HOUSING AT EGLIN AFB & HURLBURT AFB

As Paul Harvey would say, “and the rest of the story”. To ensure everyone has a better understanding of this phenomenon you need to review the Purpose of and Need for Action in the Environmental Impact Statement for the Military Housing Privatization. In short, the Air Force is conveying 1413 housing units located on Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field. Of these units, the Contractor will demolish up to 1404 dwellings and construct up to 1477 new units in phases. 548 units will be at Hurlburt and 929 Units at Eglin. To understand the supply side of this military housing equation, we had approximately 2750 housing units until recently. 2750 – 1477 = 1273 less military homes available for occupancy. On the demand side of the military housing need during this same period, take into consideration 7th Special Forces and F-35 Training Squadron only (Approximately 4000 military personnel). Now do the math, 4000 (Demand) less supply (1273) = 5273. Note: This is just the BRAC related move into our area. Now take into consideration, Growth of Crestview Industrial Airpark, Vision Airlines move HUB here, other military units being moved not associated with BRAC, and the many other businesses/institutions moving here, and I believe you will have some interesting times in the housing market. Also, the note of 20,000 vacant homes available. This number included all the Vacation/second home CONDOS, and a large number of homes you wouldn’t put your dog into. Oh by the way, did I tell you I was a Former Military Housing Director for the South United States.

Air Force selects housing contractor
Picerne Military Housing will build privatized houses at Eglin and Hurlburt
By MONA MOORE
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4443 mmoore@nwfdailynews.com  

Although it still is undecided where to build privatized housing at Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field, there now is a contractor to do the job. The Air Force announced this week that Picerne Military Housing will build the homes and then be the landlord to active-duty service members for the next 50 years. In addition to Eglin and Hurlburt, the Air Force contract includes Edwards Air Force Base, Calif; Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska; McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.; and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. The deal, valued at more than $545 million, will provide new and renovated housing for 4,188 military families. Under the agreement, the developer will build up to 929 homes at Eglin and 484 homes on Hurlburt. Bill Mulvey, vice president of communication for Picerne Military Housing, said the Rhode Island company will be the general contractor during construction and subcontract work to local companies. Mulvey said about 70 percent of the subcontractors will be local. What Picerne calls “local” varies from job to job. Local subcontractors will go through a prequalification process. Information about the project is available on the company’s website and will be explained at upcoming job fairs. Subcontractor registration forms also are available online. The company might even subcontract different builders for each initial neighborhood and then pick the best one to finish the job. Construction will start with a new development for Hurlburt families now living in base housing slated for demolition. Picerne was active in shaping the process of privatizing housing in the 1990s and started privatizing Army bases a few years later. The company has built and renovated 20,000 homes on seven Army posts. Representatives from Picerne and the Air Force will spend the next few weeks finalizing plans. Until the exact plans are determined, renderings of the homes and their amenities will not be available. Mulvey said Picerne expects to be ready to start the project by October. Each base’s neighborhood will borrow architecture styles from its region and include amenities specific to its environment, said Mulvey. He cited Eielson as an example. The company proposed an indoor water park for the Alaska base because families are indoors most of the year. Eglin and Hurlburt would not necessarily need indoor recreation. Mulvey said the company will hold focus groups in the early stages of the project to determine what military families want. In the past, families have asked for more storage space, kitchen islands and larger master bedrooms. The base neighborhoods will have a few things in common. Each will include a pool, playground, tennis courts and neighborhood center. At some of the Army bases, the neighborhood centers resemble resorts. They include a movie room with stadium seating; meeting rooms; an indoor basketball court and gym; and a community room for parties. Mulvey said the quality of the designs and the efficient customer service provided by employees earned the company top ratings in numerous surveys. “Our motto is ‘families first.’ We really take good care of the families,” Mulvey said. Leasing prices are capped at military housing allowances. The occupancy rates at most of the Army posts are about 93 percent. There is a waiting list at some bases. If there are homes that active duty military do not rent, the company will ask the Air Force who it wants to get the one-year leases. Usually, it is Department of Defense employees or retirees. The homes will be a mix of duplexes, single-family and townhomes averaging about 1,650 square feet. Each will have either a carport or a garage. There has been no decision where the new local neighborhoods will be. Eglin officials would not offer a timeline. Mulvey said the project must be completed within five years of its starting date. At public hearings in January, the list was narrowed to sites near White Point; Eglin main and Valparaiso; and Poquito Bayou. Some residents have opposed the plans. They have said the area has enough vacant homes for sale or rent to accommodate service members. Statistics appear to back them up. Figures released by the state said the 2010 census counted more than 20,000 vacant homes in Okaloosa County, or 14 times the number of homes Picerne will build in the area.